Color Themes panel

This article is relevant only to Illustrator CC releases earlier than March 2017.

Beginning with the March 2017 release, Illustrator CC provides a new color theme creation experience. Using the new Adobe Color Themes panel, you can create or edit thousands of themes, and then use them in your projects. For details, see Use the Adobe Color Themes extension.

Adobe® Color® is a web-based application used to experiment with, create, and share color themes that you use in a project. Illustrator CC has a Color Themes panel that enables you to view and use the color themes that you have created or marked as favorite in the Adobe Color application.

Important: The Color Themes panel is not available in the French version of Illustrator.

Color Themes panel

Themes you created, and are synced with your account on the Adobe Color website (color.adobe.com).

Public themes that you have marked as a favorite themes on the Adobe Color website.

The Adobe ID used in Illustrator CC is automatically used to sign in to the Adobe Color website, and the Color Themes panel is refreshed .

Note:

If the credentials you are using with Illustrator CC do not have an associated Adobe ID, then one is automatically created using the Illustrator CC credentials. You can then access the Color Themes website using your Adobe ID credentials.

Creating themes on your iOS device

iWatch, iPhone, iPad - we have you covered!

A simple and fun way to capture inspiring color combinations wherever you see them. Simply point the camera at something colorful and Adobe Color CC will instantly extract a series of colors.

Using the Color Themes panel

Note:

For the Color Themes panel to work, Internet connectivity is essential when you launch Illustrator. The Color Themes panel cannot be used, if you do not have Internet connectivity while launching Illustrator.

The swatches and themes available in the Color Themes panel are read-only. You can use a swatch or theme in your artwork, directly from the Color Themes panel. However, to modify or repurpose a swatch or theme, first add them to the Swatches panel.

Click Window > Color Themes, to open the panel.

All themes available in your Adobe Color account when Illustrator was launched are displayed in the Color Themes panel.

If you have added a theme in Color Themes after you started Illustrator, click Refresh in the Color Themes panel to include the latest theme.